Rivers of the Night - Chapter 47: Shift in Dynamic

Johnathan, an old man with an extraordinary past but an ordinary end, gets reincarnated in a dark fantasy world full of magic, darkness, and mysteries furled.

However, he committed a grave blunder by taking the fiction he had read as a reference. Reborn as a baby, he hoped to be deemed gifted by speaking early.

One thing led to another, and tragedy struck. The villagers declared him a demon-possessed and called the church. Johnathan, now known as Sylvester Maximilian, realized that he had messed up.

When the church's inquisitors came to judge him and burn him on a pyre. As a last resort and to welcome his soon to arrive second death, he started chanting holy hymns as his last breath.

Overwhelmed, they kneeled, thinking he was a messenger of Solis.

From there, the story of how Sylvester Maximilian rose through the ranks to sit at the top began.

But his life won't be ordinary, as he uses his cunning and the tag of 'God's favored' to his advantage. Fighting treachery, unearthing secret plots and world mysteries, facing the darkness around him and creating his place in history, engraving his name in the annals to be forever remembered as the—Immortal Pope, The Young.

[A/N: To not mislead you, the novel's name does not mean he instantly becomes the Pope from the start. The story will follow the life of MC. Though he will become the Pope at a pretty young age. 40% of the novel will be based around MC fighting to sit on the supreme throne.

If you enjoy world building and lore building, then you will like this story.]
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***Main Tags: FANTASY, ADVENTURE, MAGIC, DARK, STRONG MC(Weak at the start because he's a baby. Not an instant OP though.), WHOLESOME, COMEDY, KINGDOM BUILDING. MENTALLY OLD MC, Politics, Backstabbing, World Building.***

[WARNING: MC will not go around saving everyone. Absolutely not if it puts him in danger. But if he can save someone using his status or position in the church, he will. He will kill innocent people if he has to. MC is not crazy, cynical, or unsociable. The world at some times may seem very DARK.]
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[DISCLAIMER]
The religion will be fake. I won't make it similar to those existing in our world not to trigger anyone. However, the Church terminologies and designations may feel identical as they are simple vocabulary words.

Again, everything you read in this novel is fictional and has no relation to our world.

I hope you enjoy my work. Stay safe and eat healthy bananas.
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“Look at me,” he said, voice barely above a whisper, like he wasn't just asking her to see him—but to choose him.She did.And oh God.The moment her eyes met his, it was like the floor tilted. His gaze wasn't cold anymore. It wasn't guarded or teasing. It was raw. Fierce. Wrecking. Like he saw through every layer she'd tried to hide.She swallowed hard. Her legs trembled.Her heart betrayed her, pounding so hard against her ribs it seemed like it wanted to break free.Why did his eyes soften like that, as if she was delicate glass, and he'd do anything to keep her from shattering?She swore she was going to melt right there.And he didn't even kiss her.Didn't have to.That one look—his fingers brushing against her skin like he owned the right, it was more than any kiss she'd ever had. More dangerous. More intoxicating.Her lips parted, maybe to speak, maybe to breathe, but nothing came out. Nothing could.The tension between them tightened—thick, electric, blinding.If he moved even an inch, it would be over.But he didn't.And that restraint? That maddening, infuriating, goddamn beautiful control made her want him even more.“Let me handle this,” he whispered. “You don't have to trust Conor. Just trust me.”Her eyes dropped to his lips. They were so close now she could feel the whisper of his breath. Her heart pounded harder, like it wanted to escape.“Please stop doing that,” she murmured. For a fleeting second, nothing moved, then he dropped his hand.His brows drew together. “Doing what?”“Touching me,” she whispered. “Especially when you're trying to make a point. You did it in the restroom too.”“Why do you think I'm doing that?” he asked, voice husky now, softer.Synopsis:At an elite college, falling for the rich, cold son of a bi-llionaire wasn’t part of the plan, especially when his brother is tied to her mother’s mysterious death.But from the moment Merlina steps onto campus, the chemistry is undeniable. He’s detached, arrogant, and everything she should stay away from. Yet no matter how hard she tries, she can’t ignore the pull.She’s here for a degree, but her real mission is uncovering the secrets of her mother’s past at this very school. As sparks fly between her and the guy she should keep her distance from, she’s torn between two things: exposing the truth and protecting her heart from falling for him.The deeper she digs, the more dangerous things get. Anonymous threats, dark secrets, and a guy who’s starting to think her obsession with the past could ruin everything. When the truth finally breaks free, it threatens everything she’s worked for—the truth, her heart, and the fragile bond she shares with him.With everything at risk, she must choose: expose the truth, or hold on to the one person who makes her feel truly alive.

Jake wasn’t a saint—just a man who played the role people expected. A former athlete turned aimless drifter, he spent his days coasting and his nights as someone’s little secret, paid for services no one wanted to admit they needed.But one wrong move, one moment in the wrong place, and his life is over.When he wakes up, it’s not to the world he knew but to something out of a myth—a land ruled by powerful elven women, where men are nothing more than ancient legends. Now reborn as the child of a powerful princess, his existence is an anomaly—one even his own mother doesn’t understand. Fearing he may be some kind of curse, she keeps his identity a secret, shielding him from the world.Because in a world of only women… what happens when they find out what he really is?As Eren learns more about this world, he discovers that he is linked to an ancient prophecy—one that speaks of uniting the seven tribes. To survive, he must rely on his wit, charm, and thirst for adventure, forging his own path to bring them together—before the world tears itself apart.|||||||||||Note: Mc growth will be slow until chapter 18*My first book and my entry into WSA!

In her last life, Fu Xi was blinded by love, feeling no regret even as she cut ties with her family to marry a scumbag. Eventually bedridden by illness, she could only watch as her husband hooked up with other women, even bringing them to her bedside just to humiliate her. He killed her family members to gain their riches.

Fu Xi swore that if she could have another life, she would exact her revenge!

After her rebirth, she headed straight to the Gong Family and demanded that their young master—Gong Hao, who was paraplegic and bound to a wheelchair—marry her. Everyone laughed at her stupidity, but Fu Xi knew that Gong Hao was the only one who had earnestly loved her. On top of that, he was a very capable man!

Six months after Fu Xi married him, Gong Hao miraculously rose to his feet, reclaiming his family’s property and revealing multiple bombshells: he was the owner of the largest property company, a minister of national intelligence and an anonymous god of war!

Linking arms with her husband in front of the cameras, Fu Xi smiled.

“Why did you keep such a low profile before this, Mister Gong?” A journalist asked.

Gong Hao leaned in and gave Fu Xi a gentle peck on the cheek. “I was waiting for her to find me and save me…”